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NFL: Browns receiver Bess charged with assault

Wire services

Posted:
01/17/2014 08:08:47 PM PST

Updated:
01/17/2014 10:27:49 PM PST

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Davone Bess was arrested Friday on charges of assaulting a law enforcement officer at a Florida airport, the latest in a series of personal problems for the Bay Area native.

According to a Broward Sheriff's Office arrest report, the product of Oakland's Skyline High was approached by Deputy Thomas O'Brien inside the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport terminal because Bess was "acting irrationally, dancing, singing with his pants repeatedly falling down."

When O'Brien approached Bess, Bess crushed a cup of coffee on him and got into a fighting stance. O'Brien, fearing for his safety, struck Bess in the leg with his baton. It apparently had no effect. Bess took off his shirt and got back into a fighting stance.

Finally, after backup arrived, Bess surrendered and was taken into custody.

CBS-4 Miami caught up with Bess, who later bonded out of jail for $100, and asked what he plans to do next.

"Get back to helping kids all over the world," said Bess, the Miami Dolphins' 2011 Walter Payton Man of the Year, an award that honors players for their work away from the field.

He did not comment about the substance of the charges, all misdemeanors.

In March, Bess' family had him hospitalized against his will after six Broward Sheriff's Office deputies were needed to restrain him in his Cooper City home.

A month after Bess' hospitalization, the Dolphins traded him to the Browns. A team spokesman said the Browns are aware of the situation.

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Bess already had drawn scrutiny in recent days for two pictures of what appears to be marijuana that he posted on Twitter.

On Dec. 19, the Browns placed Bess on the reserve/non-football illness list for what were described as personal reasons. He missed the final two games of the season.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported late Friday that Bess has been dealing with personal issues for some time, including insomnia, and was trying to catch a flight back home to seek help.

This season, Bess had career lows with 42 catches for 362 yards.

Raiders: The team made the return of special teams coordinator Bobby April official and released a list 14 assistant coaches that will be back in 2014.

Jets: A person familiar with the situation says quarterback Geno Smith left his flight at Los Angeles International Airport after getting into an argument with an attendant.

Smith was on a Virgin America flight from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., when an attendant asked Smith to remove his headphones and an argument ensued.

Saints: Safety Rafael Bush was fined $21,000 by the NFL for his hit on Seattle's Percy Harvin that drew a 15-yard penalty during an NFC divisional-round game. Harvin left the game with a concussion later in the first half after a hit by safety Malcolm Jenkins.

Staff writer Jerry McDonald, The Associated Press and the Miami Herald contributed to this report.